SPCR

I want to watch movies and videos I have already on my pc, on my television. I know it can be done, I just don't know the nessasary steps to get there. If you know something about this topic, please share your insight as it would be greatly appreciated.

What you need is either a graphics card that has a tv-out plug (maybe your graphics card has one?) or a special card that has one, and a cable from it to the tv.

That is all basically.
Shouldn't get too expensive either, which is a good thing.

basically all geforce 4's have tv out, my moms computer has a mx440 with tv out, so if you have a geforce then check the back and it should look about the same a ps2 port for a mouse or keyboard

First, check the inputs on your TV. If you see one that looks like a Mouse (PS/2) jack, that is called S-Video. If you see something that looks like the ins/outs on your stereo, that is called an RCA jack. I've seen video cards with either. Some laptops have both. If your TV doesn't have either, then you'd need to get a special adaptor.

Remember, the resolution on most TVs is nowhere near as good as your monitor. Reading text (like icon labels) is difficult.

But for watching DVDs/Movies/videos it works pretty well.

I have a laptop with a DVD ROM in it, a simple RCA cable from the laptop to the TV, and I'm watching DVDs on the TV. I run another cable from the soundcard to my home stereo, and I have Ghetto surround sound!

Queue

Amazing what one can do with a few cables and a computer, isn't it?

Myself, I usually pull out a nice armchair with a mass ammount of pillows here and there in it, put out all the lights, put on my nice headphones and enjoy a good movie, when given the opportunity.
I've come to discover that late at night is a good time to watch movies... at around, say - 1-3 am, not that many people awake then to disturb you in your viewing pleasure.

TV monitors aren't usually that good... at least not mine.
Now video monitors... that's a whole different thing alltogether!

plasma screen